The Palm - Chicago

Reviews

• CC

  Cherie Colon

  5 days ago
  3.0
  My husband and I love The Palm! For years we were annual diners at the Flagship Restaurant at "837" in Manhattan, and even after on the West Side/Midtown location when the Flagship closed. We also frequently dine at The Las Vegas In Caesar's Forum and it is a favorite of our as were the Beverly Hills and LA locations when they were open. So on our first trip to Chicago we were thrilled to know there was a Palm there. Unfortunately there were a few disappointing parts of the meal and I feel obligated to mention/warn other diners as it is the first time ever we have not had 5-Star plus experiences at all the other sites. I had the GiGi Salad, which was delicious as usual, and, while I usually order a whole lobster and share with my husband, he wanted Chicken Parm so I was left with only an option to order the lone Lobster Tail to get my "lobster fix"! First time I've ever ordered anything but a whole lobster at any location and I will never again order the lobster tail only as I won't risk it being as awful as this one was. Dry, tasteless, tough to get off the shell and I wasn't given any special utensils other than fork and butter knife to try and deal with it. I finally was able to request a sharp knife but still difficult. On a scale of 1-10 it was a low "1"! My husband and one of our guests had Chicken Parm which was huge and both said very tasty. However, the pasta served with it was cold enough to call room temperature if not refrigerated. Not good at all. Our other guest ordered the Wedge and an order of "Half and Half" to share. My husband and I always enjoy the Half/Half and know what it should be. It was the poorest representation of onion strings we have ever been served. The pieces should have been kept in the kitchen as the breading/tempura was soft, not crisp or warm and falling off the onion pieces themselves - not the crisp and tasty onion strings we are used to. The order was very small by comparison to what we are used to getting and we only found 6 of the Potato Chips under the mushy onion strings - also not warm or tasty. Our server, "Tincho" was a really nice man but we had to wait for water refills; we asked for more bread and he noticed the pretzel bread was still in the basket. He pointed to it and we said we did not like it and would instead like the other breads they have. When he finally got back with the basket, it contained only pretzel bread - which pretty much sums up our experience. Not good and I think I'm being generous for a "3"!
• MP

  Marienne Perry

  Nov 17, 2025
  1.0
  This Review is LONG, LONG overdue but I waited almost a year for two reasons. First, I hoped the Management of the Restaurant would have some decency and finally reach out to apologize even if they had no intention of trying to right a wrong. Secondly, if they aren't inclined to do what is right which appears to be the case, I wanted to post my review as people are choosing venues for their Holiday Parties. Each year for at least forty years, my Husband and I have given our Family the gift of Christmas Eve Dinner at a nice restaurant. We make the reservations no later than early Summer to be certain we aren't forced to settle for just any old place. During the Summer of 2024, we met with The Palm Event Manager. We said we wanted to seat thirty (30) people comfortably. We also made it very clear that the event was ALCOHOL FREE. We said there was a birthday and asked if a special outside cake could be brought in. All was agreed to and the contract was signed for about $3000. On Christmas Eve at 6:00 pm, we found ourselves stuffed into the room they said would seat thirty - we were almost in each others' laps!!! Although you would think there would be enough Appetizers, there weren't. Most guests didn't eat a lot of appetizers because they were saving their appetites for their chosen steak. The Appetizers ran out before everyone was served. We were told there were no more! The upgraded side portions, weren't what I, nor most people would consider adequate. The asparagus portions were "chintzy". Since the spears were very woody, I guess generous portions wouldn't have made things better. The entrees were served, guests ate and then the mashed potatoes were brought out - what sense did that make? The desserts, including the special, delicious and unusual cake brought in by me for the occasion were plated from a cart in the hallway. The slices were tiny. Although I saw more cake on the cart, when I asked about the rest of the cake I intended to take home, it had been spirited away and they swore there was no more. It was a coconut cake! Most people in my Family don't even like coconut so they avoid it. Only a few of us eat it - what happened to the rest? In all the years I have been having that cake - it has NEVER been finished! Then comes the final insult. The Head Waiter came to me and said we hadn't met our minimum dollar amount. $700 dollars more needed to be spent. I told him I would have to order meals to take home. The Waiter said I couldn't order more food because there wasn't extra - this is a restaurant, isn't it? He said I would have to take seven bottles of WINE!!! Remember this was an ALCOHOL-FREE Dinner! After it became obvious that the wine was my only option, I said I would take it because I felt I was being offered that choice because they thought I wouldn't take it. After I said I was taking the wine, the Head Waiter came back and said there would only be five bottles instead of the seven originally offered. We gave the wine to relatives as they left. Immediately after the Holidays, the first week of January 2025, I contacted the Event Manager. I was tactful and I told her that possibly some things had fallen through the cracks. I said I could understand and I just wanted an explanation. It is November 17, 2025. I am still waiting to hear from the Event Manager of The Palm Restaurant! This was a horrible event, a terrible experience and a disgrace for a restaurant that is supposed to be a wonderful restaurant. Customer Service and concern for my event was nonexistent! If you want an event that is coordinated, find yourself another place. I would never even walk near this restaurant again.
• DF

  Dream Fry

  Nov 17, 2025
  5.0
  The steak here is honestly some of the best I’ve had in Chicago, perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The service was attentive and friendly, which made the experience even better. The only downside was that it felt a bit noisy during peak hours, so it might not be the best spot if you’re looking for a quiet dinner. Overall, still a fantastic place for a special night out.
• JR

  Jeffrey Read

  Nov 5, 2025
  5.0
  Such a lovely upscale spot just off Michigan Avenue! The salmon was perfectly cooked and full of fresh flavor, and the dessert was absolutely delicious. Everything was beautifully presented with generous portions. The only thing that didn’t quite stand out was the lobster bisque, but overall, it was a wonderful place to relax over lunch or enjoy a drink during happy hour.
• JM

  Joseph Melander

  Oct 16, 2025
  2.0
  Sucks to post a poor review, but considering what I paid and what I got, it was super disappointing. To start with, I was alone so sat at the bar. It was busy, but not over-busy. One of the two bartenders was upset about something and vocal enough for me and other guests to hear it, and she proceeded to have a poor attitude, upset face, and wasn't just dry, but, honestly, short and unwelcoming. The other bartender was nice, but busy, and at least checked on me a couple times. Secondly, I went with the Waygu lasagna- which wasn't really a lasagna but something like it, but had next to no meat. It was disappointing. I get it's a steakhouse and all, but pretty surprised at the cost for something I wouldn't call more than mediocre. Edible, just nothing even close to great. Ambience was OK, a bit bright on the side I was on, and was kinda bummed they either didn't check to put the Thursday night football game on, or for some reason couldn't. So I waited there for quite a while, food came, I ate it, and left. I don't think 1 person said 1 thing to me after getting my check, paying, and leaving. Overall lame experience, so I won't be back.

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